Ebola: FG Says No Evidence of Community Spread as Contact Tracing Continues

The Federal Government has said there is no evidence that Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola case has spread into the wider community, as health authorities continue efforts to monitor people who may have been exposed to the virus.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, gave the assurance on Thursday, October 22, while urging Nigerians not to panic over the development.

The government had confirmed Nigeria’s first Ebola case in more than a decade on October 20, following laboratory tests that identified the Bundibugyo virus in a woman receiving treatment in the Federal Capital Territory.

The patient had recently travelled to Nigeria from Uganda and was admitted to a private hospital in Abuja after developing symptoms.

In its initial announcement, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said the patient was in isolation and receiving medical care. It also disclosed that 44 close contacts had been identified for monitoring.

The contacts included people who might have been exposed to the patient, such as healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.

The World Health Organization said investigations were ongoing to establish the likely source of the infection and reconstruct the patient’s travel and exposure history.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has also activated its incident management system to coordinate the response, with surveillance, contact tracing and infection prevention measures among the priorities.

Speaking after an emergency meeting of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola preparedness on Wednesday, October 21, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila said the government would strengthen existing protocols and enforce public health measures.

Pate also urged Nigerians to cooperate with health authorities and avoid spreading false information that could cause unnecessary panic.

Although the government says there is currently no evidence of community transmission, investigations and monitoring remain important to determine whether other people were exposed to the virus.

The public health response is taking place against the background of an ongoing outbreak of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease that was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May 2026 and has affected other countries in the region.

The World Health Organization has called for continued surveillance, prompt investigation of suspected cases and strong infection prevention measures in health facilities.

Nigerians are advised to follow updates and guidance from public health authorities while avoiding unverified claims about suspected cases or the spread of the disease.